Byrd Polar Research Center
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[edit] History
The Byrd Polar center at Ohio State University was established in 1960 as the Institute for Polar Studies. Research foci originally included geology, glaciology, and biology. The name was changed to Byrd Polar Research Center in 1987.
Studies at the BPRC now include paleoclimatology, remote sensing, polar meteorology, and environmental geochemistry. BPRC scientists study both north and south polar regions.
The archives of the BPRC include the works of Hubert Wilkins, A.H. Waite, and Frederick Cook. BPRC also houses the National Polar Rock Repository.
[edit] Climate Change Research at the Byrd Polar Research Center
[edit] Regional Studies
[edit] Greenland
BPRC scientists study Greenland ice sheet and Antarctic ice sheet response to climate change.
Greenland ice cores date to 100,000 years. They are used to study historical temperature, chemical makeup, snowfall, dust, vegetation, volcanic activity, and anthropogenic emissions.
The surface mass balance (precipitation minus evaporation minus blowing snow minus sublimation minus runoff) in Greenland is decreasing each year. Approximately 80 cubic kilometers of surface mass has been lost each year since 1991. Large melt lakes are appearing at the edges of the Greenland ice sheet on the western side. These melt lakes flow under the glacier, lubricate it, and speed up its movement.
[edit] Antarctica
The Vostok ice core (see Vostok, Antarctica), is 420,000 years old. Studies of this core show cyclical changes in temperature and atmospheric CO2 in ppm (parts-per-million). Average annual temperatures have risen steadily since 1900, with fluctuating temperatures between 1940 and 1980. Average temperature and CO2 have risen and fallen in tandem, but opinions still vary on whether the temperature rise is caused by the increased CO2, or vice versa.
The Transantarctic Mountains bisect the continental ice sheets, with different ice flow dynamics on either side. RadarSat (radar images collected by orbiting satellites) is being used to map the ice sheets. Ice sheet flow into the ocean is increasing and in western Antarctica, the ice stream is draining into the Ross Ice Shelf with marked acceleration.
In March of 2000, the largest observed iceberg in history broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf.
[edit] Peru
The Qori Kalis glacier in Peru is in retreat. The terminus of the glacier has shown reduction since 1963, with dramatic increases since 1980.
[edit] Africa
Snowcap reduction has been noted on Kilimanjaro since 1912. In 1900, there was approximately 12 square kilometers of snow cover on Kilimanjaro. At the present rate of decline, it is predicted that the snow cover will be completely gone by 2020.
[edit] Scandinavia: an exception
Scandinavian glaciers are the only ones in the world that are actually gaining mass. It is theorized, however, that this is occurring because of intensified snowfall generated by increasing areas of open water elsewhere.
[edit] Global Effects
Ice sheet changes affect sea level. In the last 2 decades, ice caps and glaciers have been disappearing at a rapid rate. In 1978, John Mercer predicted that the collapse of the ice sheet would be a precursor signal of global warming.
Snow and ice melt contribute 50% of the sea level rise (20% from Greenland, 10% from Antarctica, and 20% from elsewhere). The remaining 50% is caused by thermal expansion of the ocean. As average temperatures rise, the water molecules move further apart.
The current average atmospheric CO2 level is 370 ppm. The highest historical level in the Vostok ice core is 275 ppm.
[edit] Conclusion
There is general consensus from the scientific community that global warming is real and is currently occurring, except for a small but vocal minority.
The Conference Board, a corporate think tank, recently made the following observations:
- The greenhouse effect is “real and intensifying”,
- human activity is contributing to this, and
- corporate boards should be evaluating the risks of continuing business as usual.
[edit] Sources
- The original version of this article was compiled from notes from a public lecture given at Miami University by Dr. Berry Lyons on October 23, 2004.
[edit] References
- Byrd Polar Research Center
- OSU Libraries KnowledgeBank on Byrd Polar Research Center
- The Conference Board
[edit] External links
- Study Reveals Complex Changes In West Antarctic Ice Streams
- Glaciers Melting Worldwide, Study Finds from National Geographic
- Byrd Polar Research Center is at coordinates Coordinates:
| The Ohio State University |
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